Maharashtra emerges as major hub for animation industry

Mumbai, May 30 : Maharashtra is now the new hub for the animation and gaming industry.

In less than a year, the town of Pune has emerged as a serious gaming and animation industry hub with about 30 companies and studios dealing in special effects and animation.

Pune has already earned fame through animation studios that have made several 2D and 3D animations.

This place is ideal for every type of industry be it automobile, IT, gaming or animation.

People working here have made a name for themselves in Hollywood also. There is ample talent available for animation companies here.

In fact, several of the gaming and animation studios have decided to either move from other cities to Pune or to set up expansion projects here.

After IT and auto, it is probably time for the animation and gaming industry to grow several times over in Pune.

According to industry experts, what the IT industry achieved in eleven years in Pune - five billion dollar business per year - the animation and gaming industry is expected to achieve it in six years.

"Several companies are coming to Pune on a talent scout. There are several computer institutes and art colleges. So, the companies get easy access to talent from these colleges and institutes. Talent in other places like Mumbai and Hyderabad is saturated, but here in Pune, talent is fresh and ready to be absorbed. There are experienced people to be found here," said Hrishikesh Patil, Managing Director, Trimurti studios.

"One more advantage is that it is close to Mumbai life in metros can stay here in peace. The weather also complements the place. Traffic is a headache, but one can tackle that. This place is cheap too as compared to other places. So, these are some points that are favourable to the animation industry coming here," added Patil.

According to Anand Khandekar, Chairman, Animation and Gaming Committee, Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (M CCIA), Pune has all the right ingredients because of its history and culture, and this combined with IT strengths makes the city an ideal destination for the gaming and animation industry.

"MCCIA took the initiative in 1996. At that time, there was virtually no IT in Pune. Within 12 years, the IT industry has grown from 30 million to five billion dollars. Thanks to the right ingredients and right government and infrastructure support from private as well as government agencies. We had support from educational institutions for the right manpower and very strong support from Maratha Chambers to co-ordinate all this and to provide business development support. All these four pillars have moved the IT industry to where it is now.

I am absolutely confident that we will apply the same four pillars to uplift the animation and gaming industry in Pune," said Anand.

At present, at least three studios in Pune are working on independent animated films. For the gaming industry too, there are several outsourced projects in the city.

Animation films in India are still in the nascent stages. 'Ghatothkach-Master of Magic' will be the first non-mythological to be released in the country. This will be the second animation film from the stable of Shemaroo. Their first film that tasted success at the box office was 'Bal Ganesha'.

India is a cheaper destination to make animated films. For example, in the US it costs around 9,367 US Dollars to make a 30-minutes animated film, while in India the cost comes down to 1,405 US Dollars.